AuthorTopic: Personal SeaBird Submarine (Read 1568 times)

What are some of the big boy’s toys that only tycoons and magnates are able to afford? Super fast and exotic cars, taking the helicopter to the office because one does not want to go through the hassle of traffic jams, or even purchasing a private jet if that is one’s desire. But what happens when you prefer the seven seas instead of being stuck in a traffic gridlock or flying in the air? Yes, the clarion call of the sirens beckons, and you absolutely need to get your sea legs moving again.

A yacht can be ho-hum, but what about the confines of a submarine? Yes, we’re talking about the SeaBird personal submarine making an attempt to penetrate this particularly burgeoning market. It won’t be able to fire any nuclear missiles or warheads, being just a personal submarines, using electric motors that are powered by a rechargeable battery pack, so you need not worry about any nuclear fuel rods experiencing a meltdown. US-based AquaVenture’s attempt with the SeaBird is slightly different from conventional design, since it nixes the standard propulsion system but will be towed through the water by a surface vessel instead.

According to AquaVenture, this patent-pending tow system was used on the SeaBird in order to deliver the power of an internal combustion engine to an underwater vessel. At point of publishing, the fastest personal subs are limited to speeds of less than 10 mph (16 km/h), and the SeaBird is far speedier, having received certification to travel at speeds of up to 22 knots (25 mph/40 km/h), regardless of whether it is above or below the water’s surface.

Being towed on a cable of up to 400 ft (122 m) in length, it can operate in a large cone that is behind the towing surface vessel. A single surface vessel has enough juice to tow a couple of SeaBirds simultaneously, allowing the SeaBirds to operate to depths of 150 ft (46 m), with the option to double it to 300 ft (91 m) for “certain (non tourism) customers.” How long can you last in the SeaBird? It is said to provide a habitable atmosphere for 24-72 hours.

The SeaBird will be able to seat two passengers, and will have features such as positive buoyancy which lets it float to the surface when the towing vessel stops or is discontinued from the SeaBird. The submarine is also capable of performing rapid 360-degree rolls and climb and dive steeper than most roller coasters, if zooming through the water isn’t exciting enough for you.

No word on when the SeaBird will go on sale, but it is currently in the works and will have a base price of about $210,000 when it does.

« Last Edit: March 19, 2012, 03:03:38 AM by eureka »

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